Professional Hockey Leagues

exploring the past hockey leagues of north america

The recognized professional hockey
league of the early western provinces was the Pacific
Hockey Association. The Patrick brothers were part
of the founding group that later changed the early
face of the National Hockey League.

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Pacific Coast Hockey Association (1911-1924)

The Pacific Coast Hockey Association operated between 1911-24. The PCHA was founded
by Frank Patrick and Lester Patrick with three teams.
An agreement between the National Hockey Association and the PCHA was made at the end of the 1913-14 season, where the two league
champions would face each other for the Stanley Cup. After the 1914-15
season, the Vancouver Millionaires defeated
the Ottawa Senators in a best-of-five series to become the
first Stanley Cup
champions from the PCHA.

In 1916 the first American team, the Portland Rosebuds
played for the Stanley Cup. The following year the Seattle
Metropolitans were the first American team to win the Stanley Cup.

In 1921, the Western Canada Hockey League, another western
major league of hockey, was formed, and the Stanley Cup playoffs was
modified to include teams from the WCHL. In 1922 and 1923 the PCHA
played interleague games with the WCHL.

In 1924, the Vancouver Maroons folded, and the two remaining
teams joined the Western Canada Hockey League, for the 1924-25 season, resulting
in the disbanding of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association. The league was
renamed the Western Hockey League for the 1925-26 season.

An agreement between the NHA and the PCHA in 1914 has the league
champions play against each other to determine the Stanley Cup Champions.
This continues after the formation of the NHL for the 1918 cup series.

Year

Stanley Cup Winner Champion

Loser

1912

Ottawa Senators (NHA Champions)

The Galt Professionals lost a challenge for the Stanley Cup
March 13/1911 Ottawa Senators 7, Galt 4